The Icebound Land by John
Flanagan. Puffin, 2007. 266p. (9780399244568) Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice,
#3

Several middle school boys at my school asked repeatedly if we had the rest of the
series and over Christmas I finally had the opportunity to buy books five
through eleven. Also since some sixth graders wanted this to be the next read
aloud I decided to read book one for myself. And I was hooked. I’ve read the
first three books in three days and the only reason I’m not reading book four
right now is because it’s checked out.

Goodreads
Summaries:

The Ruins of Gorlan

They have always scared him in the past — the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them
invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his
age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is
that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the
skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles
reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle
brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is
gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be
denied....

The Burning Bridge

Bracing for
a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's
allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to
nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the
Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of
Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his
legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush
the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are
the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans. They have shown
great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face
of true evil?

The Icebound Land

Kidnapped after the fierce battle with Lord Morgarath, Will and Evanlyn
are bound for Skandia as captives aboard a fearsome wolfship. Halt has sworn to
rescue Will, and he will do anything to keep his promise. Even defy his King. Expelled from the Rangers he has served so loyally, Halt is joined by Will’s friend
Horace as he travels toward Skandia. On their way, they are challenged constantly
by freelance knights, but Horace knows a thing or two about combat. Soon he
begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with
his uncanny skill. Even so, will they be in time to rescue Will from a horrific
life of slavery?

My Review:

This is a
great adventure series for middle school boys and up. As well for any girls who
enjoy action and adventure and don’t mind if there are less than five female
characters. Plus it helps that Will is very likable fellow. I enjoyed watching
Will and his friends grow in their various chosen fields of study and to learn
some of the work and dedication it takes to survive battleschool or being a
ranger’s apprentice.

On the website for the series there is an interview with the author. To the question, “What are the biggest challenges of writing a series?” John
Flanagan replies, “Finding a good spot to break between two books, without
having people howl at me, ‘That’s a terrible cliffhanger!’ There has to be a
sense of completion, but at the same time a sense that the story will continue.”
Judging from the first three book he has mastered finding good breaks. Each
book has its own battle or dangerous journey that drives the story but it also
sets up the plot for the next book.

There are no
romantic scenes, the fighting is not gorily described, and there is a little
bit of swearing (mainly the d word) and I noticed especially in book three that
God’s name is used in vain.

Overall I
believe this is (at least thus far) a great adventure series for middle school
boys who love the stealth of Robin Hood but also the action, battle strength
and chivalry of a Sir Richard of the Lee.

Disclosure:
I borrowed this from the library. The
opinions I have expressed are my own.

~~~

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2 comments:

So glad you came across a great series for middle school boys that everyone can enjoy :) Loved your comments and even the bit from the author's website, sounds like a great series! Hope you can get book 4 soon, you're reading through them FAST! Have a great weekend, Rina :)

I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining and clean they were. Book four was returned to the library this week but I've decided not to read any fiction for a while and have to finish what I've started. They are fast reads though. :) Enjoy your weekend!

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About Me

I love to read and share books. I am also a believer and follower of
Jesus Christ, and strive to include a Christian perspective on my book
reviews. I mainly read historical fiction, Christian fiction, and YA
fairy tale/ fantasy.